Mace Story (funny)

["Laura Hayes" <mark@madbbs.com>]

This talk about pepper spray and mace reminded me of a funny story.

 

As a Animal Cruelty Investigator and a woman, I usually work with some macho law enforcement officer who takes control of the people involved while I deal with the animals. 

 

One early spring day I met a State Police Officer at a scene with a dead horse on the property - the horse had starved (got a conviction) but in the mean time, no one is home and there is a loose horse grazing in the muddy yard outside the fence.

 

I knew this horse from other encounters with this group, and knew that he was pretty mean on a good day, and he was awful hungry now, and glad for a bit of fresh grass.  I chose to wait for the owners, but the macho but well intended officer decided to 'contain' the loose horse.  He walked toward it, but it was plain to see that he did not have the experience to read the intent of the beast.

 

As the horse lunged toward him with his teeth bared, the officer instinctively reached for his mace and proceeded to mace the horse, who did not react to the chemical at all.  In the midst of this, the officer lost his footing in the mud and the horse's teeth just missed him as he went down.  A loud ripping sound accompanied his fall, and it was clear that his spiffy uniform was ripped up the back of his seat.  He beat a path back to the barracks for 'equipment repair' and I met the vet (my husband ) at the rendering works for a post mortem.  We left the other horse to graze on the lawn and returned later to remove him to safety.  He got a good home after the trial and turned into a nice horse with a little regular food.

 

Laura